The Road Ahead
by UntilImprovement
Summary: This story follows Caitlin on her journey before the Unova Elite 4, as well as a male character (who is my own creation) who befriends and helps her. Rated T due to mild romantic elements which some may find suggestive, as well as references to mild violence with potentially upsetting implications. Minor threat may also be deduced.
1. Introduction

Talent is nothing. Only rigorous study can make you a Pokémon Master, at least according to Caitlin. She is a pupil at Earl's Pokémon School in Violet City, and she studies until late at night almost daily – making rest rare. Unfortunately, she struggles to remember anything she has learned by the time she wakes up and is unable to focus in class. Last week she turned 13, which means two things: the first is that three years have now passed since she missed her opportunity to recieve a starter Pokémon and the second is that the same amount of years remain until she leaves school and enters the adult world. Then, she can capture a beast for herself – but for now things (mostly her grades) need to improve…


	2. Chapter 1

"A C?" boomed Caitlin's mother. "How on earth are you getting grades this low?"

"I don't know…at least I passed though!" the young trainer replied after quickly attempting to change the subject.

"I accept that you passed, but why did you try to throw me off the subject? You don't study at all up there, do you? I'm not sure what you're doing, but there's no way you're staying up late again! You're a-"

"Liar? That's not true at all. I study hard, but I never remember much when it comes to the next day. I can't concentrate very well in class either, so I'm guessing what I do study made me pass my tests…"

"A pass is no good! Not if you want to be a Pokémon Master!"

"I-"

"Don't interrupt me young lady! Go upstairs and get some rest – then perhaps those bags under your eyes will disappear!" her mother ordered. Reluctantly, Caitlin did as she had been asked and closed her door behind her. Tomorrow, she would focus hard. Tomorrow, she would look better than she ever had. Tomorrow, she would prove that her mother was wrong.


	3. Chapter 2

While walking into school, Caitlin was greeted by a friend who complimented her revised look.

"Wow Caitlin, that rest sure is doing you good. You even look different!"

To this she smiled, and sat down in class with a splash of confidence trickling into her.

"Good morning 'sleepy head'. It seems today that your nickname may need to be changed – just look at you!" her lecturer exclaimed.

"Thank you sir." she replied, far more politely than usual.

"Extra rest is the key to success, isn't that right?"

The class shouted a loud, "Yes!" in response.

"I hope your studies have paid off and are starting to be remembered. Tell me Caitlin, what is the function of the move Rest?"

Without much thought, she answered,

"Rest is a Psychic-type move that gives the user the Sleep status condition. On the next turn, they will restore around half of their health. Some trainers have their Pokémon hold a Chesto Berry so it can be woken up without losing any turns."

"Very good, very good!"

The class applauded and some even patted Caitlin on the back.

"Settle down class! Oh Caitlin, you would know that though, wouldn't you? You specialise in Psychic-types so it comes as no surprise that you know this. SO!"

Startled, heartbeats of pupils in the room became briefly faster. Then, a sigh of disappointment echoed when they realised it was homework day.

"I would like all of you to write a short essay on the Pokémon Cherrim and one of its moves – Sunny Day, preferably. Caitlin, you will complete a paragraph on any Dark-type move!"

"Sir-" she argued, before being interrupted,

"All of this is due next Friday! That means you have eight days!"

Everyone looked at the piles of homework they already had in their bags. The Earl's Pokémon School is not for the faint of heart…

Having completed her homework on the night that it was handed out on, Caitlin clarified with her teacher the next day that it was just a single move that had to be completed. Despite having done two, he only required that she do one. The uncompleted homework in her bag from previous weeks—which she had been too tired to even look at—was also finished. However, when it came to the day she handed her homework in, her teacher told her that she needed three moves.

"Excuse me sir, both I and the other pupils would agree that you asked for a single move – not three as you are saying now."

"No, I asked for THREE!"

Looking on in horror, a few members of the class stood behind Caitlin's claim.

"Do you ALL want to stay behind tonight?"

With that, they scattered like cockroaches and left her helplessly trying to get out of a situation that she had been put in.

"Sir, you can't give me a detention for no reason! This has all been made up! Why are you-"

"Who said I was dishing out punishments? But what an idea – one hour after final class tomorrow! Do NOT be late and ENSURE you attend…"


	4. Chapter 3

Luckily, Caitlin was not alone in detention. Her teacher had asked her to write about another move, although she had no idea how without knowing in the first place (as well as having no access to other methods of finding out). A boy, probably around a year younger than her, sat beside her and gave her a hand.

"What you up to, 'Sleeping Beauts?' Need help with Dark-type moves, huh?"

This made the aspiring trainer blush slightly before her reply,

"Apparently I do. I exceeded the expectations and here I am now…"

"Well, I specialise in Fire-types – although I did own a Houndour before a trade with my neighbour. Hopefully I can remember a thing or two."

The lecturer across the room eyed the conversing pair for at least half of the detention, eventually seating them far apart.

"Caitlin, you haven't done any writing. That isn't good, you know – especially with a detention record like this. Remember, 15 late or incomplete homework tasks in a year will get you expelled…"

She already had 14, so this was not good. Luckily for her, the other trainer was scribbling answers onto a small triangle of paper. His way of handing it to her without suspicion was…rather selfless of him, to say the least. A paper plane thrown from his hand had hit the teacher, causing him to get sent outside – and he handed the paper to his new friend on his way. Then it came to Caitlin that she had been flirted with, although helped, for the best part of 45 minutes. Hurriedly, she copied out the paragraph to a point where it looked as if it had been written in Unown and handed it to her teacher with only two minutes to spare.

"This is all very good – but it seems rushed! Might you have cheated? I've never seen someone write so much, in this much detail in so little time…"

"Sir, if you're going to attempt to get me in trouble again you might as well expel me. Why do you hate me so much?"

"Young girl, your record is the poorest in the year. You've left a lasting impression! Turn your life around; hmph – what a load of rubbish!"

"So what happens now? Do you plan to ruin the life of a girl who is now innocent? Or do you indeed expel me?"

"Caitlin, you're full of ideas! I'll speak the Earl – hopefully I can convince him…"

The professor rubbed his hands together and eyed Caitlin with evil intent in his eyes. She would be gone, the first of many to go…


	5. Chapter 4

Tears streaming down her face, Caitlin was dragged by her collar to the Earl. Her evil lecturer had given her a 15th 'late' homework mark after being accused of cheating in her detention. Yes, she _had _used a helping hand – but this wouldn't have been necessary if she hadn't been framed for no reason. What would her mother think? She wasn't aware of her daughter's changed attitude and would likely give her a severe punishment – which struck Caitlin with fear as she came to this realisation.

"Oh dear, what's happened here?" said the Earl, welcoming Caitlin into his arms. She was clearly upset by the 'brutality' of her teacher.

"This girl here," the professor explained in excessive confidence, "has had fifteen late homework tasks. I believe she deserves immediate expulsion!"

"That is the kind of punishment we would be looking at here, although I'm not quite sure that all of these are late homeworks. Caitlin, I've been in contact with your mother to inform her of your detention and she has apparently been notified of something strange at work by one of our friends. Supposedly, your attitude has been changed and your whole class can back this up. You exceeded the minimum expectations set for the task and 'sir' raised them [the expectations] on the due date. When I saw a child leave detention earlier he mentioned you and I knew what was coming, so I quizzed your fellow pupils. Your version of events does seem to be true."

"Her version of events have been falsified!"

"Professor, I was going to hear your side anyway. However, I don't need to. Despite the telling of the students, I have no choice but to listen to you. You see Caitlin, your teacher will become head of staff once I retire and because of his current senior role I must always trust him and hear his side of things. I'm sorry—and I really don't want to—but…I'm going to have I expel you."

Caitlin fought back tears after learning of her fate. Her life was now virtually over. Dreams of becoming a Pokémon Master had been shattered, as well as any chance of her becoming a recognised trainer. Instead, she would just a be a 'Pokémon owner' – like millions of others. She would recieve no punishment from her mother now that she was aware of the situation, although punishment was now the least of the worries of a girl now made so vulnerable…

Upon waking up, Caitlin had to think twice about what she had to do this morning. Damn Arceus, she had nothing to do. No reason to get up, no reason to continue living. Then again, she had to be careful thinking like that. Her mother suggested a trip to the beach to lighten her mood, in spite of the wet weather that would (quite literally) dampen it instead. Nevertheless, nothing could have made her feel worse than she did when she was…expelled… It was difficult for her to think about what had happened. Whenever it crossed her mind she would have the same harsh feelings that struck her down significantly. Seeing she could not get much worse, she set off for Cherrygrove City.

When she arrived at the beach, the rain had settled down slightly. Froth in the sea remained from a heavier downpour around 20 minutes earlier and the sand was more like a delicate rocky substance. Not a single soul—human or Pokémon—had ventured onto the beach for at least a day. The tides had wiped the beach clean of any footprints or even rifts created by the ocean breeze. Even the town was fairly deserted, aside from the occasional Poké Mart customer or Pokémon Trainer. That was certainly a sight she didn't want to see; something to take her mind off it would have helped. And it did. The whole reason she had came here was to enjoy the remainder of the summer heat and wander around the empty beach. Caitlin removed her shoes and then her socks – a mere 62 degrees Fahrenheit clearly hadn't been enough to heat the sea, or the rain that soaked the sand. Her bare feet were cold on the ground – but she could not care less. All she wanted now was to salvage her life and enjoy what she could. A dip in the lukewarm water or just a small moment of reflection while alone could mean all the better. Perhaps a carefree life was the way to go? There was only one way to find out…

Walking home barefoot was probably not the most solid definition of carefree. Splashes of mud decorated her ankles and large chunks of gravel luckily hadn't embedded themselves into her soles. Caitlin's mother was furious at the mess created as she entered the living room – although she did have some great news! The Earl had been in touch with Lance, the Pokémon Master who oversaw the Kanto and Johto Leagues. A position had opened at the gym in Goldenrod City, free for the young girl to take if she agreed to the offer.


End file.
